Ice may be out on lake, but it left damage in Meredith

MEREDITH - As the ice was receding from Meredith Bay last week, it left significant damage at the town docks.

Public Works Director Michael Faller said the last two posts on two of the docks were damaged by ice last Wednesday night and into Thursday.

It's happened before, Faller said, recalling similar damage in 2007.

The problem occurs when the wind blows the ice remaining on the lake up against the docks. "The wind has to be blowing in a certain direction, and the ice conditions have to be just right, and then it rolls in on the docks," he said. "It's a luck-of-the-draw kind of thing."

Faller said it will take a few weeks to repair the damage, but he hopes to have the docks ready for summer boat traffic.

The town will file a request for a permit with the Department of Environmental Services for the repair, and then will put the project out for bids to local marine construction contractors.

The project will likely cost several thousand dollars, he said. It will involve removing the pilings at the end of the docks and sinking new ones into the lake bottom.

The town has taped off the end of the affected docks to prevent people from using them. At this time of year, the docks are sometimes used by anglers.

"It's unsafe there right now. It'll be a few weeks before it's safe again," Faller said.